1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a system for delivering information to a device via wireless communication, and more specifically, to mobile server systems for distributing context-sensitive information to targeted consumer via short-range wireless communication.
2. Description of Prior Art
Modern society has quickly adopted, and become reliant upon, handheld devices for wireless communication. For example, cellular telephones continue to proliferate in the global marketplace due to technological improvements in both the quality of the communication and the functionality of the devices. These wireless communication devices (WCDs) have become commonplace for both personal and business use, allowing users to transmit and receive voice, text and graphical data from a multitude of geographical locations. The communication networks utilized by these devices span different frequencies and cover different broadcast distances, each having strengths desirable for various applications.
Cellular networks facilitate WCD communication over large geographic areas. These network technologies have commonly been divided by generations, starting in the late 1970s to early 1980s with first generation (1G) analog cellular telephones that provided baseline voice communications, to the now emerging 4G streaming digital video content planned for the 2006-2007 timeframe. GSM is an example of a widely employed 2G digital cellular network communicating in the 900 MHZ-1.8 GHZ band in Europe and at 1.9 GHZ in the United States. This network provides voice communication and also supports the transmission of textual data via the Short Messaging Service (SMS). SMS allows a WCD to transmit and receive text messages of up to 160 characters, while providing data transfer to packet networks, ISDN and POTS users at 9.6 Kbps. The Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), an enhanced messaging system allowing for the transmission of sound, graphics and video files in addition to simple text, has also become available in certain devices. Soon emerging technologies such as Digital Video Broadcasting for Handheld Devices (DVB-H) will make streaming digital video, and other similar content, available via direct broadcast to a WCD. While long-range communication networks like GSM are a well-accepted means for transmitting and receiving data, due to cost, traffic and legislative concerns, these networks may not be appropriate for all data applications.
Short-range wireless networks provide communication solutions that avoid some of the problems seen in large cellular networks. Bluetooth™ is an example of a short-range wireless technology quickly gaining acceptance in the marketplace. A Bluetooth™ enabled WCD transmits and receives data at a rate of 720 Kbps within a range of 10 meters, and may transmit up to 100 meters with additional power boosting. A user does not actively instigate a Bluetooth™ network. Instead, a plurality of devices within operating range of each other will automatically form a network group called a “piconet”. Any device may promote itself to the master of the piconet, allowing it to control data exchanges with up to seven “active” slaves and 255 “parked” slaves. Active slaves exchange data based on the clock timing of the master. Parked slaves monitor a beacon signal in order to stay synchronized with the master, and wait for an active slot to become available. These devices continually switch between various active communication and power saving modes in order to transmit data to other piconet members.
More recently, manufacturers have also began to incorporate various resources for providing enhanced functionality in WCDs (e.g., components and software for performing close-proximity wireless information exchanges). Sensors and/or scanners may be used to read visual or electronic information into a device. A transaction may involve a user holding their WCD in proximity to a target, aiming their WCD at an object (e.g., to take a picture) or sweeping the device over a printed tag or document. Machine-readable technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID), Infra-red (IR) communication, optical character recognition (OCR) and various other types of visual, electronic and magnetic scanning are used to quickly input desired information into the WCD without the need for manual entry by a user.
The proliferation of wireless communication technology means that users have the ability to communicate without being restricted by time or location. This accessibility has created a desire for information providers (e.g., business, educational institutions, government, etc.) to tap into this potential. Currently, not only can a targeted consumer see a printed advertisement at a location (e.g., store, restaurant, mall, bus stop, train station, etc.), but at that moment when the user's interest is peaked, the user has the ability to employ their WCD to contact the advertised business to obtain more information, place an order, enroll in a service plan, etc. Advertisers have attempted to facilitate this reaction by including machine-readable sources of information in close proximity to the visual advertisements. In these situations, a user may download information relevant to the visual indicia from the source via short-range communication. This information, may contain links to an Internet website, contact information (e.g., telephone numbers, email addresses, etc.), or other information of further interest to a user.
As the amount of information available for immediate download rapidly increases, the information providers risk the target audience for this information becoming overwhelmed equally as quickly. The main content of the information provided must be usable (e.g., timely, location-specific, unexpired, etc.) and of interest to the consumer. Otherwise, people may revolt against the information providers by instituting measures to screen these transactions from receipt on their WCDs. These blocking measures may include filtering software to prevent the download of certain information, or in the extreme, the prevention of all short-range communications. These actions hurt both the information provider and the user. If the information providers cannot profit from innovations related to the offering of new services to a consumer, they may reduce resources spent on developing new technologies and services. The consumer will in turn lose the benefits they might experience through the use of these emerging services. In at least one example, these services might include the mobile distribution of information related to podcasts, which are pre-recorded audio broadcasts syndicated over the Internet. These audio presentations are gaining a large audience, and a mobile service that delivers podcast related information directly to a consumer, allowing a user to both locate and download a podcast directly to their WCD, would fill a much needed hole in the marketplace.
Therefore, what is needed is a system for enabling a server device to wirelessly distribute information desired by a large target audience. These server devices should be mobile, and able to control the information distributed in regard to an environmental context. A receiving device, possibly also including context-sensitive control, may then contact, or be contacted by, the serving device in order to receive the distributed information via wireless transfer. Further, the wireless distribution of audio and video information available over the Internet, for example, the distribution of podcast information, would be desirable in order to proliferate mobile access to various types of multimedia data, which improves the flexibility for consumers to informed about newly available desired content that may be obtained immediately.